Maine Environmental NewsAnnouncement - Sunday, March 18, 2018 Thanks for visiting Maine Environmental News, a service of RESTORE: The North Woods. MEN is the most comprehensive online source available for links to Maine conservation and natural resource news and events. We have posted summaries and links to over 50,000 news articles and announcements. We also post breaking stories and exclusives. Be sure to check not only today's news, but take a look at the headlines from the past several days as well. Articles often come to our attention a few days after they are published. Follow us on Twitter @MaineEnviroNews. ~ Jym St. Pierre, Editor

Growing More Crops in Less Space, Mar 25Event - Posted - Sunday, March 18, 2018 Workshop leader Will Bonsai is director of the Scattered Project. He is best known for his work in preserving crop diversity. At St. Paul's Church, Brunswick, March 25, 2-3:30 pm, $5 donation. Sponsored by Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust.

Stand up for Federal Bird Conservation FundingAction Alert - Saturday, March 17, 2018 The proposed federal budget would gut major programs and protections for birds and their habitats. One-third of migratory bird species have already lost significant populations as threats to wildlife increase. Tell your U.S. Senators and U.S. Representative to make protecting migratory birds a priority in the federal budget. ~ American Bird Conservancy

Earth Hour, Mar 24Event - Posted - Saturday, March 17, 2018 Join millions of people around the world—along with businesses, cities, and landmarks—who will turn off lights in celebration of Earth Hour. March 24, from 8:30 - 9:30 am local time.

Resist Mike Pompeo’s confirmation as Secretary of StateAction Alert - Thursday, March 15, 2018 Trump just fired Rex Tillerson, one of the few people left in his cabinet who was willing to speak out against Vladimir Putin. But even more egregious is that Trump nominated Mike Pompeo, a xenophobic, pro-torture, climate-denying war hawk, to replace Tillerson.

Protect Maine from EPA budget cutsAction Alert - Monday, March 12, 2018 There have been more than 90 of harmful amendments proposed that undermine federal safeguards to everything we rely on the EPA to protect: our air, water, climate, and wildlife.

Ask Congress to Oppose Anti-wolf RidersAction Alert - Monday, March 12, 2018 Congress will likely vote in the next two weeks on a 2018 spending bill for the Department of Interior. Because that legislation is likely to be broadly supported, anti-wolf legislators are using it as a vehicle to try to pass their otherwise unpopular attacks on wildlife. Email your senator or representative and ask that they persuade Leadership to strip these "riders" prior to the bill being voted on. ~ Endangered Species Coalition

What’s a woodlot and what do I do if I have one? Mar 19Event - Posted - Monday, March 12, 2018 Morten Moesswilde, District Forester with the Maine Forest Service, will talk about the most common considerations for landowners with 2 to 200 acres. At Belfast Library, March 19, 6 pm.

Baxter State Park Visiting ArtistAnnouncement - Sunday, March 11, 2018 Visiting Artists are asked to hold one evening program and one open studio with the public during their stay, and within one year to provide the Park with professional quality images, prints, or documents representative of their style and resulting from their experience. Dates: August 11-24, 2018. Applications due by April 20.

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Column: Outposts in the fight for the ecosystemWorking Waterfront - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 I have spent some very pleasant days during the past month as the guest of a number of island field research stations and am again overwhelmed by the number of dedicated eyes and inquiring minds monitoring the birds, beasts, fish and crustaceans which inhabit the waters and islands of the coast of Maine and the intricate ecology on which we all depend. These creatures — and their human stewards — make our lives richer in every sense of the word. The granddaddy of these island field stations is the National Audubon Society's Hog Island facility at the northwest corner of Muscongus Bay, which has been in operation for over 75 years. ~ Philip Conkling

Historic Studies Generate New Findings about Northern Conifer Growth and YieldOther - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 New Northeastern States Research Cooperative - Research using archived and re-measurement data from the Penobscot Experimental Forest in Maine and other plots has shown that the greatest densities of shade-tolerant conifer seedlings grow under shelterwood treatments and other treatments that leave more overstory trees. Red spruce seedlings were by far the most browsed conifer species by hare and other rodents. Northern white-cedar was the second most browsed species because of high deer populations, followed by white pine, eastern hemlock, and least browsed balsam fir. As seedling and sapling height increased, browsing was less likely to occur. Accordingly, a gradual removal of overstory trees may help to establish and release slower growing conifers.

State officials get pushback for fencing plan at Fort KnoxWCSH-TV6 - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 The Maine Department of [Agriculture,] Conservation [and Forestry] wants to put up new fencing around parts of historic Fort Knox. Officials say the project is focused on making the site more safer for tourists especially young children. Last summer a 7-year old-child was injured after he rolled off a 20-foot-wall at the fort. The department has been working with the army corps of engineers on designs for new fencing. Some of the barriers would replace existing fences at the fort's highest points while other barricades would be added on. At a public meeting Wednesday night many people objected to the new barriers, including members of the 'Friends of Fort Knox' who run the site.

Community responds to tree theft in public parkWCSH-TV6 - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 A public park where thieves had stolen apple trees has received generous donations after the story aired last week. Bath's South End Park had 11 apple tree saplings stolen within days of the trees being planted last month. Bath Police are still investigating. According to city arborist, Tom Hoerth, Bath Sunrise Rotary Club called him the morning after the story aired saying they would cut a check for the cost of the trees. The same day, O'Donal's Nursery and Davey Tree donated new saplings to the park.

Federal EPA supports Maine's bid to change air pollution regulationSun Journal - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 A proposal by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection seeking to exempt industry from a state air-pollution regulation has the support of the federal Environmental Protection Agency. And, despite the concerns being raised by environmental advocates, the change would not mean industries in Maine would be allowed to pollute more, said Dave Conroy, chief of the Air Programs Branch of the EPA's New England Region in Boston. "The EPA favors this change and has already proposed approval of this change and is asking Maine to go through the appropriate public-comment period," Conroy said. The change would allow industries seeking to develop or expand in Maine to be treated the same as those in other states that are meeting federal air-quality standards. Specifically, it would allow industries to be exempt from purchasing emission credits for nitrous oxides and volatile organic compounds, but it would not allow Maine to backslide.

Still no sign of missing Tennessee hiker, say Maine wardensBangor Daily News - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 The Maine Warden Service issued a call Wednesday evening for volunteer searchers affiliated with the Maine Association for Search and Rescue in its ongoing effort to locate a Tennessee hiker who hasn’t been seen since July 21. “At this time, the Maine Warden Service seeks searchers who are only affiliated with MASAR as we move forward. So far, the search for Largay has involved a warden service aircraft, Civil Air Patrol ground searchers, Mahoosuc SAR, Franklin County SAR, members of Acadia National Park SAR, and Maine Search and Rescue canine teams, according to MacDonald. The number of searchers is expected to expand this weekend as more volunteers become available.

Fight over reopening Brunswick boat launch pits swimmers against clammersBangor Daily News - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 Recreational users of Simpson’s Point may confront fishermen and clammers head-on next week, when Brunswick’s Marine Resources Committee is expected to discuss reopening the boat launch. The Rev. Frank Strasburger, who lives adjacent to the Middle Bay landing, said he and others will oppose town efforts to reopen Simpson’s Point, because it would clash with the area’s recreational use. Simpson’s Point was closed to motorized boats in 2008 as one of the conditions from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection for opening the larger Mere Point boat launch, almost 6 miles away. The restriction came after state and local officials determined boats were having a negative effect on eelgrass, a marine plant considered integral to the habitat. But a recent study by MER Assessment Corp. suggests motorized boats might have not been causing the eelgrass decline.

Maine's pulp, paper industry supports DEP proposal to relax anti-smog regulationsKennebec Journal - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 Maine’s pulp and paper industry is strongly supporting a LePage administration proposal to reduce some anti-smog regulations affecting new and newly refitted industrial plants. The Maine Pulp and Paper Association says its members strongly oppose the existing rules because they “will not address an environmental problem.” The Department of Environmental Protection is seeking federal approval to change Maine’s air pollution plan under the federal Clean Air Act — a move that critics say would undermine a 13-state agreement credited with achieving smog reductions in the Northeast. The DEP’s proposal would end a requirement that new or refitted plants must meet the most stringent emission standards, known as the “lowest achievable emission rate.” Also, the proposal would end a requirement that such plants have to compensate for their emissions by buying “offsets” on a regulated market.

Sold! First Parcels Auctioned For Future Offshore Wind FarmsNational Public Radio - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 A Rhode Island company was the highest bidder in the federal government's first-ever auction for the right to build an offshore wind farm. After 11 rounds, Deepwater Wind outbid two other companies for two patches of ocean off the coasts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The winning bid was $3.8 million. The United States has no offshore wind farms, but industry experts say the fact that there was competition for these leases shows that despite all the setbacks, the offshore wind industry might soon take off. Another auction is scheduled for Sept. 4 for a possible wind project off the coast of Virginia, and more auctions are in the works for patches of ocean off the coasts of of Maryland, Massachusetts and New Jersey. "Responsibly harnessing the power of the wind blowing off our coasts is critical for cutting pollution and re-powering America with clean, renewable energy," said Courtney Abrams of Environment America.

Belgrade mother, Alliance for a Clean and Healthy Maine protest LePage’s BPA vetoBangor Daily News - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 Belgrade mother Megan Rice said she was very upset when she found out that the baby food she was feeding her two infant daughters came in packaging that contained bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA. “I was irate,” she said after a Wednesday press conference held downtown to urge Gov. Paul LePage to ask the 10 biggest food and beverage manufacturers to disclose if their products arrive in Maine in packages made with BPA. “I was buying the expensive, organic baby food and to find it had toxic chemicals — it made me mad.” LePage on July 8 vetoed LD 1181, known as the Healthy Kids Bill, which passed unanimously through the House and Senate and would have required more stringent labeling of potentially harmful chemicals in food packaging.

Maine wardens in need of professionals experienced in search, rescue to help locate hikerMorning Sentinel - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 The Maine Warden Service has “taken all leads to this point as far as we can go” in the disappearance of Appalachian Trail hiker Geraldine Largay. While the search for the missing Tennessee woman continues, the Maine Warden Service needs more formally trained searchers because of the difficult terrain in the area, said Cpl. John MacDonald, spokesman for the service. The Warden Service continued to use volunteer searchers on Wednesday, but Wednesday night announced it is now seeking only searchers who are affiliated with the Maine Association of Search and Rescue.

Governor Responds: Balancing Economic Prosperity and Environmental Protection is PossibleMaine Government News - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 Governor Paul R. LePage sent a letter today to Senate President Justin Alfond and House Speaker Mark Eves claiming Democrats have distributed inaccurate information regarding the LePage Administration's ongoing efforts to protect Maine's environment. LePage insisted that his administration is "pursuing regulatory reforms...similar to those undertaken by both my predecessors, Governors King and Baldacci." LePage said the rhetoric from Alfond and Eves implies that balancing economic prosperity and environmental protection is an "either/or" choice. "For me and my administration, it is both/and'," said LePage. "We will continue to both protect our environment and grow our economy."

New England Fishing Industry Grapples with Changing ClimateMaine Public Broadcasting Network - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 Scientists, fishermen, fisheries regulators and environmental advocates from across the nation are meeting in Portland this week to discuss how climate change is affecting New England's waters, and how best to manage those changes. The bottom line, says University of Maine Marine Science Professor Bob Steneck, is that new species are moving into the Gulf of Maine, species like black sea bass, red hake, and blue crab, which he says have a lot of economic value. "So how do we deal with that?...Maine has no plan to manage black sea bass," Steneck says. Which brings us to the question of how to manage the ocean under changing conditions. Steneck says, "Maybe we have to be thinking about working in small communities. The way Maine starts off with their town meetings, maybe we should be working on local ecosystems that can detect change and respond to it locally — it's a very different way of thinking about how we manage our fisheries moving forward."

Michaud, Pingree push for Lac-Megantic tanker redesignBangor Daily News - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 The state’s congressional leaders are pushing federal authorities to require rail shippers to correct design flaws in oil tankers that exploded in a Quebec town on July 6, killing 47 people, they said Wednesday. U.S. Reps. Mike Michaud and Chellie Pingree encouraged Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration chief Cynthia Quarterman during a meeting Wednesday to authorize improvements to the 40,000 flawed DOT-111 tanker cars in service now. “It is still too early in the investigation to determine exactly how this tragedy could have been prevented, [but] the design flaws of DOT-111 tank cars are well documented,” Michaud and Pingree said in a joint statement, calling the rulemaking process “frustratingly slow.”

Marine experts: Gulf of Maine has become a cod-forsaken place, endangering all fisheriesBangor Daily News - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 Researchers converged Wednesday on Portland for a two-day conference hosted by Island Institute with academics, fishermen, government officials and lawmakers to discuss climate change and its effect on New England fisheries. The takeaway message from the conference’s initial presentations: As tempting as lobster is, fishermen must diversify their catches. In 2011 and 2012, the statewide lobster catch hit successive record highs. Those numbers carried some bad financial news, however, as the great supply pushed down prices and left lobstermen earning less per pound while still facing rising fuel and overhead costs. But Bob Steneck, UMaine marine sciences professor, pointed out an additional downside to the lobster abundance. “The question is: Is this a socio-economic time bomb?” posed Steneck, who delivered the morning keynote address at the conference. “If this lobster population declines or even catches a cold, how long until we lose our remaining fishing communities to wealthy people who want to live on the coast?”

Michaud, Pingree push for better tanker rail car safetyPortland Press Herald - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 Maine Reps. Mike Michaud and Chellie Pingree continued to press Wednesday for stronger safety standards for tanker rail cars during a meeting with the head of an agency that oversees the transportation of hazardous materials. The meeting with Cynthia Quarterman, the administrator of the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, was the third meeting between the representatives and top federal transportation officials this month. Pingree and Michaud, both Democrats, requested the meetings soon after the derailment and explosion of a crude oil train killed 47 people in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, a town not far from Maine’s border. The pair had previously met with Deborah Hersman, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, and Joseph Szabo, administration of the Federal Railroad Administration. The two Maine representatives discussed the “frustratingly slow” process of updating safety requirements for widely used rail tank cars such as those involved in the Quebec disaster.

‘Backtrack’ will appeal to outdoorsy readersJohn Holyoke Out There Blog - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 You might want to get your hands on V. Paul Reynolds’s latest book, “Backtrack” (Islandport Press). Reynolds, a Hampden outdoorsman, writer, publisher and radio host, explains in the book’s introduction that a backtrack “is, quite simply, going back where you came from. I picked ‘Backtrack’ as the title for this book because it seemed to fit my plan — to go back along the path of my life’s journey and revisit some vivid outdoor experiences.” Reynolds succeeds in his effort, sharing more than 50 short tales that document a life spent appreciating the outdoors.

Rabies confirmed in fox that attacked five people in South PortlandBangor Daily News - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 A fox that attacked at least five people in South Portland Tuesday morning before police caught and killed it tested positive for rabies, Lt. Todd Bernard of the South Portland Police Department confirmed Wednesday. Bernard said police have concerns that the fox, which was aggressive toward humans during an active six-hour period Tuesday, may have infected other animals in the area during its rampage.

Expert: Maine fishermen must adapt quickly as climate changesKennebec Journal - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 The Gulf of Maine is warming 10 times faster since 2004. Maine’s fishermen must be better informed, more communicative about conditions on the water and responsive to change to survive the constant shifts brought by a warming climate and water that is growing warmer and saltier. That was the message from about 100 marine biologists, fisheries managers, commercial fishermen and others who shared both scientific findings and anecdotal observations on the changes that are occurring in the Gulf of Maine. The fisheries participants gathered Wednesday in Portland at a two-day Island Institute symposium on climate change and its impact on fisheries in the Gulf of Maine.

Chewonki installs electric car charging stationBangor Daily News - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 Chewonki has installed one of the first electric car charging stations in midcoast Maine. The unit, installed in July by sustainability officer Tom Twist, facilities manager Carob Arnold, and technician Jamie Kane, sits in a handsome new post-and-beam kiosk that was custom built for this purpose outside Chewonki’s Center for Environmental Education. The charger is powered by 100 percent green energy. The expected cost for filling up the battery bank of an electric car is about $1 for a 100-mile trip. Chewonki is making the charging station available to all staff and Chewonki guests free of charge.

Biologists tracking Maine seabirds in advance of offshore powerBangor Daily News - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 Razorbills, puffins, terns, guillemots — thousands of seabirds flock to Maine islands each summer. They socialize, lay eggs, feed their chicks, and as the summer cools into autumn, they depart. Biologists have witnessed this natural cycle for decades as they’ve worked to restore seabird colonies off the east coast. Yet little is known about what happens when the birds leave the islands, in the hours that they forage for their chicks and during the winter months, when they migrate. This lack of information about seabird flight patterns has become a concern to biologists as plans for offshore wind energy development come closer to fruition. In response, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recently begun using a combination of radio and satellite telemetry to trace seabird migration patterns and pinpoint crucial foraging and nesting areas.

Editorial: Solar project is good fit for Sanford landfill siteJournal Tribune - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 A proposed solar array that would power both the Sanford municipal and Waban buildings is a very exciting possibility, and one that we hope is realized. In an effort to save on electricity costs, Waban Executive Director Neal Meltzer was looking into options to provide electricity to the organization’s buildings. Waban, which provides services for developmentally disabled children and adults. Meltzer came upon the idea of solar arrays. City officials stepped in with the idea of locating an array on the Rushton Street landfill site. The city and school district also want in on the project. The parties are pursuing a 5-megawatt solar array, which would be the largest solar farm in Maine. Now a feasibility study is under way.

Opinion: LePage’s one-stop permit shopping is nothing newMaine Environmental News - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 The LePage Administration announced today the launch of a new “Business Answers” online portal, so that “job creators have access to a one-stop repository of information about starting a business in Maine.” Reading the news release brought on an overpowering sense of déjà vu all over again. Every administration in Maine in the past four decades from Curtis to Longley to Brennan to McKernan to King to Baldacci has promoted a variation on one-stop permitting information to facilitate business. Even the first Gov. King, in 1820, used the office to push regulatory reform to promote business, especially his own. So, it is great that the LePage Administration is touting their efforts to streamline the permitting information process with online tools. But no one should think that LePage is the first politician in Maine to advocate making the rules of the game “easy to be understood.” William King is grinning from on high. ~ Jym St. Pierre

Bagaduce oyster lease earns DMR approvalEllsworth American - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 The Department of Marine Resources (DMR) has approved a three-year experimental lease to grow oysters on a 2.5-acre site off Bear Head in the Bagaduce River. Frank and Tonyia Peasley plan to raise as many as 1 million oysters on three sites using seed taken from their existing lease operation.

Another step taken by the LePage Administration to make Maine more business friendlyMaine Government News - Wednesday, July 31, 2013 The days of searching for the various licenses and permits required for new and existing businesses are over. With the official launch today of the new “Business Answers” online portal, job creators have access to a one-stop repository of information about starting a business in Maine. The site is hosted by the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development and developed by the state’s content partner, InforME.